This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Ethnic minorities grants scheme
31/12/2002
Voluntary groups that help people from ethnic minority communities to access mainstream services will receive over £700,000 in grant funding for the financial years 2003-2006.
The Ethnic Minorities Grants Scheme provides funding to voluntary organisations for projects to promote equality and reduce racial disadvantage.
It forms the main funding source for the minority ethnic sector from the Executive and is intended to play a significant role in delivering social justice policies.
Some of the projects which will receive new funding include:
- £93,000 to a new support project for black and minority ethnic people in the Highlands who have been victims of crime
- an Edinburgh project will receive over £50,000 to work with young people from communities affected by racism to help them express themselves by making videos and providing media work experience
- over £92,000 to establish a Scottish/African HIV Network. This will support people in Scotland's African community who are infected by the HIV virus
Social Justice Minister Margaret Curran said:
"I want to live in a country where we respect and value the diversity of our communities - where we welcome and support people from all cultures, nationalities and backgrounds. The message is simple - there is no place for racism in Scotland.
"This 700,000 pounds funding package emphasises the Executive's commitment to tackling racial inequality. These initiatives will go some way in helping to ensure that everyone, regardless of background, has the same opportunity to access mainstream services such as health and social care, housing, and training.
"All applications were closely scrutinised and priority has been given to grass-roots initiatives. It's encouraging that such a wide geographical spread of applications were made."
NEW GRANTS AWARDED
- Ethnic Enable, Strathclyde, Renfrewshire and Glasgow: £93,000 (2003-2006). The grant will pay for a full-time worker to act as a base to establish community links between Ethnic Enable and mainstream organisations.
- Ethnic Minority Law Centre, Glasgow: £5,000 (2003-04). Small capital grant to upgrade the computer system to support the management of information and assist the work with ethnic minority clients due to a significant increase in demand for services.
- Maxwell Town Information Centre, Dundee: £82,084 (2003-2006). Development of a city-wide project to improve take up of services. This will be achieved through improving access to information about opportunities and providing support and resources to empower local black and minority ethnic groups.
- Minority Ethnic Carers of Older People (MECOPP), Edinburgh and West Lothian: £93,000 (2003-2006). MECOPP established the first black/ethnic minorities carers centre in Scotland. It will use this funding to develop a model of good practice for integrating black/ethnic minority older people into mainstream services through this pilot project.
- Venture Scotland, Edinburgh and Glasgow: £41,146 (2003-2006). New project to develop full integration between young people of all ethnic backgrounds and to help promote respect for difference.
- Victim Support Scotland, Highland: £93,000 (2003-2006). New project to assist victims from black and minority ethnic communities to access support services which are culturally sensitive and appropriate.
- Waverley Care, Scotland: £92,100 (2003-2006). To establish a Scottish/African HIV network. This will develop an information resource on HIV and other blood borne viruses to the African community in Scotland and assist service providers to improve the appropriateness and accessibility of their provision.
- Young People Speak Out, Edinburgh: £50,257 (2003-2006). New project designed to help young people from black and minority ethnic communities affected by racism and cultural alienation to express themselves through making videos and to provide media work experience.
- Youth Counselling Scotland, Glasgow: £87,294 (2003-2006). New project to assist families and young people from the Chinese community to access counselling, information and advice.
YEAR THREE AWARDS IN 2003-04
- Aberdeen Elderly Chinese Association, Aberdeen: £17,159. To help the elderly Chinese community to make best use of mainstream services in order to enhance their quality of life. This project also works with service providers to raise awareness of the problems and needs of users and identify measures to improve services.
- Dunfermline Muslim Women's Association, West Fife: £18,237. To continue to pay for a part-time worker to co-ordinate and develop a range of opportunities for Muslim women and their families which reflect their educational, health, social and cultural needs.
- Minority Ethnic Learning Disability Initiative (MELDI), Glasgow/West of Scotland: £25,000. To continue funding a bilingual worker to extend MELDI's work to Glasgow and the West of Scotland. This project builds links with existing agencies to improve access to services for people with special needs and their families/carers.
- Saheliya, Edinburgh: £13,812. To continue funding a 'culturally competent' relationship counselling service, informed directly by the needs of black/minority ethnic communities in Edinburgh.
This funding is a breakdown of allocations to individual groups following the announcement of the grant scheme as part of the Scottish Budget earlier this year.
EMGSis administered by the Unemployed Voluntary Action Fund (UVAF), with Scottish Ministers retaining decision making powers. Grants are now awarded for three years. In previous years, grants were awarded for a two year period with the possibility of renewal for a third year.